Thursday, April 5, 2012

Review and Giveaway: A Perfect Pet for Peyton

Sometimes I receive a new review item and find out that it's just a perfect book for me. One of my more recent packages contained both a book for me (review coming next week) and a book for the kids.

From the publisher:
This wonderfully imaginative children’s hardcover book by bestselling authors Gary Chapman and Rick Osborne, featuring four-color illustrations (with hidden details!) by Wilson Williams, Jr., will help children learn the importance of love. Based on Gary’s highly successful The 5 Love Languages®, A Perfect Pet for Peyton tells an entertaining and playful story of five children who each, with the help of Mr. Chapman and the unique pets at his special emporium, discover their own personal love language. Children and parents alike will experience firsthand the power of the love languages as they cuddle up and spend precious time together reading this book over and over again.

What we thought:
Lauren, age 6, and I enjoyed the book when I read it to her. For children with short attention spans, it might be a bit on the long side. I think it took us about 20 minutes from beginning to end. I think the concept of different love languages was a bit too difficult for her to grasp, even on the second reading of the book. I do think that repeated exposure to the concept will help her understand that people show love in different ways and that people feel loved by different things.

I also had Brennan, age 11, read the book on his own. Initially, he wasn't all that impressed by the cartoon characters or the fact that I assigned a "picture book" when he's a fifth grader. I think it did a great job of explaining the concept of love languages in a way that he could explain, and he didn't complain that the book was too babyish. Afterwards, he told me which love language he speaks most. That's valuable information for me as a parent, especially since I'm reading the full book The 5 Love Languages of Children right now.

More useful information:
You can find more information about the 5 Love Languages products for all ages on their website or on facebook. There is also a free interactive app with in-book experience coming soon to the Apple App store.

Giveaway:
In addition to the copy I was able to share with my own children, I will be able to share a copy with one lucky reader. Please follow the easy rafflecopter directions below to enter.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”